The instant invention relates generally to accessories and more specifically to an accessory device made for attachment to various types of apparel and other objects.
Numerous devices have been provided in prior art as weight systems. For example U.S. Pat. Nos. numbered 4,239,211; 3,374,636; 3,334,898; and 3,278,184 all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose for which they address, they would not be suitable for the purpose of the present invention as heretofore described.
Prior known devices are manufactured from designs that result in rigid, bulky, uncomfortable and limited total weight, weight systems. The materials used have little or no stretch capability in the encircling portion of the devices. Because of these design and material characteristics, these devices do not conform completely to the contours of that part of the body they are encircling. They therefore have to be tightly strapped or laced to prevent shifting and slipping of the weights or the entire device, causing discomfort, and yet they still shift and slide during exercise and therapy motions. Especially when the person is sweating or wet.
The materials used to not allow air penetration or circulation to the part of the body they encircle and in fact, they promote sweating and discomfort under the devices, next to the body. This adds to the shifting and slipping characteristics of these devices.
These devices must also be fastened at the smallest diameter part of the extremeties they encircle, i.e., the ankle and the wrist, causing discomfort and irritation to the ankle and wrist bone, to resist sliding up and down of the device during movement of the arms and legs.
In the past, the configurations of variable weights on a weight system were limited due to the inherent size and weight limitations of the pocket design and pocket dimensions on the weight devices. These configurations were limited to lead shot, fixed dimension slug-weights or bulky straps with additional pockets for fixed size weights. Adding or removing lead shot or inserting and extracting slug-weights in a deformed or tight pocket are extremely limiting factors of these prior devices.